Optional: If making your own dairy-free milk, soak nuts of choice overnight in cool water or cover with hot water and soak for 1 hour. Then drain, rinse well, and add to a high speed blender along with desired amount of filtered water (for a creamier milk, we went with 3/4 cup (90 g) raw soaked cashews, 3/4 cup (95 g) raw soaked almonds, and 4 cups (946 ml) water as the recipe is written; adjust amounts as needed if adjusting serving size). Strain through a nut milk bag and set aside.
To a high-speed blender, add 3 cups (710 ml) dairy-free milk (as recipe is written, adjust amounts as needed if adjusting serving size), coconut milk, maple syrup (starting with the lesser amount), cinnamon, ground nutmeg, vanilla extract, and cardamom (optional).
Blend on high until creamy and smooth — 1-2 minutes. Then taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more spices for warmth or maple syrup for sweetness.
For serving, enjoy cold, over ice, or hot by heating over medium heat until warm (we prefer chilled, no ice). Optionally, you can add 1/2 - 1 ounce bourbon per 1 cup (8-ounce) serving. This is optional, but a festive addition! Serve as is or with coconut whipped cream and a pinch more cinnamon or nutmeg.
Transfer remaining eggnog to a jar for storing. Leftovers should keep in the refrigerator up to 4-5 days. Or freeze into ice cubes and store up to 1 month. Shake well before serving — a little separation is natural.
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Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with unfortified cashew milk, the lesser amount of maple syrup, and without optional ingredients. *Prep time does not include making dairy-free milk. If making your own dairy-free milk, allow time for soaking, draining, and mixing. *We also had success using this eggnog (bourbon / alcohol omitted) as a base for Golden Milk and our Matcha Latte. Because it's thicker than your average dairy-free milk, we recommend slightly diluting with water for best results.